THE TIRED ONE'S DREAM.

North Otago Times, 3 November 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE TIRED ONE'S DREAM.

Fate or circunibtancee, in the winter of 19- compelled mo to slay one night under tho hospitable roof of an old hostelry not a hundred'miles from what are called the headquarters of the Turf, It had been a bitterly cold day, and night had fallen with heavy, leaden clouds that gave piomiso of a still worco night. Aty dinner had been a good oldfashioned one, mino host had produced a bottlo of rare burgundy from somo socrot store, and I-folt on the most excellent terms with myself and tho world in general, At such a time a healthyminjlcd man likes the society of his fcl-low-mcn, and I confess to possessing a specialy grogariom disposition. Accordingly, in quest of company I turned ■ into the smoking-room, and was disappointed to.find it empty and far from cheery in aspect. Strolling onwards and outwards, I ventured lo find out how 'niattens stood meteorologically, but a slight investigation was enough. A iiorco north-easter nearly cut one's noso off, and light (lakes of snow were whirling hither, and thither in tho wintry j blast. With a shivering "Heugh!'' 11 turned to make my way back to tho I 'fireside., when tho hum of conversation! •from tiio bar parlour attracted me, and J without any formalities I entered. It i was a room of considerable size, but (ho I clouds of tobacco smoko apparently re-: nucod its dimensions considerably. 'l'he' light from the oil lamp*; that adorned• tho walls was aided and abetted by thoflames from a great roaring fire (hat; took up a third of tho end of the', loom. I ordered the man to bring moj some whisky, hot water, and the etceteras' for toddy, and proceeded to look round' at tho company which I had joined so I unceremoniously and so unsolicited. They were ten or a dozon in number, and of various degrees of village caste. Three| or four of unmistakabta tradesman type,' two or three equally undisputed in their i devotion to agriculture, and the remaind-: cr, men about ■ whose occupations one ; might have essayed an opinion as,this,! that, or tho other.- | By this tTmo the conversation,. which i had ben interrupted on my entrance by! the curiosity of the "locals" to size up: tho newcomer, was again in fair 6wing, j and it was apparent from the disjointed remarks that -reached mo, that-con-siderable heat had been caused by a discussion as to whether or not there were any gronndß for a certain local superstition. Opinions seemed pretty equally divided, and as the talking came to a lull, one, of tho iudascribables alluded > to, speaking to no one'in particular, but addressing tho ceiling, said; : "Ah, gents, if you'd 'ad 'a'ppen to you ; wot 'appeped to me, you'd allow there's ! 6omethin' in omens and such-like."

Here, thought I, is the story for a winter's evening, end I looked at tho speaker. Ho was a man who might have ken anything in hia class except a hard worker. Thero were-no signs of that about him, but an unmistakable sug-gestivene-s of an unwholesome thirst was all over his faco. My thoughts must have been road by him, for as he caught my eyo ho murmured something about having heard that tho feert of Sahara was dry. but thoro was drouth' nearer home. In answer to my query" ho replied promptly and concisely, "Gin 'ot," which, having shown his appreciation of, lie commenced;

"I might, p'raps, he ridin' in my car now, an' I might bo puttin' down my (spondulicks an' backin' 'om like any millionaire. I might be any ruddy'think if I 'ad listened to a wision what camo (o mo ouco."

He sighed emphatically, and what was left of the gin disappeared. "'Dahn with tho drink,' sea I, 'it's tho curso of the bloomin' nation.' Sich was the words I used one night a year or two ago as I wandered back to my 'uinble 'ome, with a 'cad like a big drum, and talking to myself like as I let myself in and turned on tho light. I ses, 'lf an 'oly angel was to come dahn from 'eaven to-night and saj; to me, "Givo up tho boozo an' I'll tip ycr a twenty to one cert," I'd never touch another drop.' "Genelmen, scarcely was them words out of mo mouth than I 'ear<l at me elbow a noise like the rustlo of a lot of 'fivers, and, strike mo pink if I ain't tell in' yer tyio truth, there a'most agin mo stood a great feathery angel, flutterin' his wings and shining Jiko wot I •reinombers of a now arf a crown."

Here the taleteller wiped away a gin aud water tear and regarded his glass .with go wistful an air that I repeated my previous question, with a similar result.

:' "That's wot I said to 'im, not boin' easily took back. "Ave a drink ?'<-es I; but' he pointed a great white finger at me and sea 'o in a voice that sweet and meller 'Presumptuous mortial,' sea 'e, 'wot, daro to addres? a 'oly angel thus? I 'ave 'eard your wifeh, and I will grant your 'cart's desire if you will put away that evil spirit;' pointing to ray bottlo of Storlin' whisky. Then I took me ohawnce, 'Your worship,' I ses, 'if you'll give us a good winner I swears I'll never touch a drop again, and if I does may I—' 'Stop, rash creature,' ses 'e, pulling out a nobby gold memorandum book from Eomewhoro in his tail feathers. He just looked at it, and boudin' low, whispered somethin' in my ear. 'Straight?' Era I, but I was speakin' to the air; he had vanished. After that I went and put my 'ead under the pump and then got out my book of form. "Tho next mornin' I told 'Arry 'lcks, wot Jived at Cambridge, abaht it. 'B looks at mo sorrorful and ses, 'I thort as 'ow -you'd be eeein' of 'em soon, Ben.' 'Owever I gradually porsuaded him I was tellin' tho truth, and we sent all tho money wo 'ad Or could get, over the water to Toppin' and tho others, besideo what wo managed to get on rahud i-.baht, both ready aud on tick. j "Well, eventually the day came. Neither of us waa able to go to Ling-! field for reasons,.and we sat in the Blue: Man, me drinkin' lemonade, and waitin'' for our speshul wire, which duly arriv-i od. I opened it with a tremblin''and;! It's orlright,' I criea; 'good old angel I' 1 Ses 'Airy, 'Wot's yours?' I 'esitated, but' 'e says, 'Why not? You're orlright now.' An' I foil.

"1 was just 'avin' my fifteenth wen I ears that rustlin' like bank-notes agin and a eavy sigh.; Just then in comes a telegraft boy with a message for me, and I roads, 'Wolfshall disqualified.'""Tientain Sunday Star."